Aggressive black bees?

[Texan4Life]

Okay I have been attacked like 6 times now and stung twice by these black colored bees. And they always attack my head/face. They are roughly the same size as a regular honey bee (have those too) except instead of being mostly yellow these are mostly black. you know if you see one flying past your face. No clue where the nest is and I always get attacked by a lone ranger.

I googled a little and most refer to accounts of a aggressive black bee as being a wasp. sorry we have mud dobbers, yellow jackets, and red wasps here and its not a wasp. wasps have a completely different body shape. This bad boy is aggressive too I would say more so then a yellow jacket. I can routinely walk past a YJ nest and not be bothered. I have yet to even find the nest of these black bees.

Maybe I need to try and catch one

this is in central tx.


Anyone know what these are called?

 

[mjw357]

Sounds like an Africanized (killer) bee.

 

[rekees4300]

Is this it?

Adkins Bee Removal - Carpenter Bees

 

[PossumHound]

Is this it?



PH

 

[Sedwick1024]

I've had this same problem this week! I have a raspberry patch in my backyard that I look forward to picking from every year--last year it netted me 5 large bowls' worth--but now I get attacked by these aggressive blackish bees if I disturb a certain area. I've not been able to see a nest yet--the patch is quite dense and, admittedly, a bit of out control--but I know exactly which branches to rustle to get them flying up and around. They dive-bomb my head, and I've felt them fly into my face and hand. I normally wear a full-body rain jacket as protection from thorns and mosquitoes, and the window screen mesh helmet I whipped up works great, but I still feel vulnerable in the hands, especially since I like to keep the picking hand ungloved. Based on the glimpse I got of the two that landed on the towel wrapped around the hand holding the flyswatter, I'd say they're too black to be Africanized bees, and look more like the carpenter bee.
I know I don't want to use poison. I'm thinking of sprinkling some silica gel on the area I think the nest is and just drying them out. Maybe I can rig something up that just keeps shaking the branches and doesn't let them resettle and makes them give up their home? Or maybe I'll just just go into battle for a little time each day. I've killed some, but it's nowhere near enough to make me feel safe about picking the patch completely clean.

 

[mjw357]

... I'd say they're too black to be Africanized bees, and look more like the carpenter bee.

Africanized bee is about same size as honey bee. Carpenter bee is large, looks similar to a bumblebee.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

We have had carpenter bees in out buildings all my life, and they are aggressive. But it is a bluff and I have never been stung, nor do I recall anyone else being stung.

 

[Sedwick1024]

According to more I've just read, the aggressive ones are the males and they don't have stingers. The females are docile and won't sting without direct physical provocation. All scientific observation aside, I'm still not sure I'm willing to risk getting stung until I make a 100% positive ID! Although this does look familiar. Another interesting comment found:

Bees absolutely HATE the smell of "CINNAMON" and will actually leave the hive and search for a new home.....spread it around and if you can actually throw some and coat the hive then your job is done.

I have enough cinnamon to start a spice war, so I may just go with that.

 

[texasjohn]

Am in central Texas, relate to all the wasps you mention, honey bees, large bumble bees, but not "black bee".... hope you get photo of it

 

[BigBoyinMS]

Some more info that expands on Sedwick1024's post that may help... the male Carpenter bee and Bumblebee do not sting and can be identified by the yellow area in the center of their face. The females have an all black head. As a child my brother and I would catch the males and tie a long piece of thread to them and we would have a miniature kite. My brother kept 4 or 5 in a matchbox once but forgot it once on the kitchen counter when he went to play. He remembered when our aunt started screaming.

 

[Sedwick1024]

So, one thing I was able to catch was this:

Regarding the stingers, I am sure it left something sharp in my finger through my work glove. No reactions or anything, thank goodness.

 

[Willl]

Bald Faced Hornet

bald faced hornet - Google Image Search

 

[joshuabardwell]

Looks like it was a wasp after all.

 

[texasjohn]

I found this site....extremely interesting

Bald-Faced-Hornets / White-Faced-Hornets

Never heard of them before....but it says they can be found anywhere in US...so, will have to watch....site indicates they mainly eat live critters...interesting....

 

[General Lee]

That would be a white faced hornet. They are aggressive, no surprise your getting tagged. Their nest most likely will be elevated in a tree or bush. Will look like a paper mâché basketball depending on the size. Are you getting stung around any fruit trees because they to eat the fruit.

 

[deerseeker001]

i had a large black bug bit me in the neck and the side of my face swelled up with a bulge sticking out about 2 inches.i didn't think of it being a bee.i went to the emergency room and they said they could see a bite.

I've had this same problem this week! I have a raspberry patch in my backyard that I look forward to picking from every year--last year it netted me 5 large bowls' worth--but now I get attacked by these aggressive blackish bees if I disturb a certain area. I've not been able to see a nest yet--the patch is quite dense and, admittedly, a bit of out control--but I know exactly which branches to rustle to get them flying up and around. They dive-bomb my head, and I've felt them fly into my face and hand. I normally wear a full-body rain jacket as protection from thorns and mosquitoes, and the window screen mesh helmet I whipped up works great, but I still feel vulnerable in the hands, especially since I like to keep the picking hand ungloved. Based on the glimpse I got of the two that landed on the towel wrapped around the hand holding the flyswatter, I'd say they're too black to be Africanized bees, and look more like the carpenter bee.
I know I don't want to use poison. I'm thinking of sprinkling some silica gel on the area I think the nest is and just drying them out. Maybe I can rig something up that just keeps shaking the branches and doesn't let them resettle and makes them give up their home? Or maybe I'll just just go into battle for a little time each day. I've killed some, but it's nowhere near enough to make me feel safe about picking the patch completely clean.

 

[joshuabardwell]

i had a large black bug bit me in the neck and the side of my face swelled up with a bulge sticking out about 2 inches.i didn't think of it being a bee.i went to the emergency room and they said they could see a bite.

Once again, bees getting a bad rap! If you were stung, there are a zillion things it was more likely to be than a bee. NEVER FEAR BEES! I WILL DEFEND YOUR GOOD NAME!!! unch:

 

[joshuabardwell]

So, one thing I was able to catch was this:
View attachment 270410
Regarding the stingers, I am sure it left something sharp in my finger through my work glove. No reactions or anything, thank goodness.

A wasp would not have left a stinger behind. Bees have barbed stingers that are usually left behind when they sting. This kills the bee, for what that's worth. Since bees only sting in defense of themselves or their nest, that's not such a big deal. Wasps are carnivorous and hunt with their stingers, so theirs are smooth and they can sting many times without dying or leaving anything behind.

 

[Texan4Life]

Interesting.. sorry guys forgot i started this thread! I dont venture into rural living section very much..

So, one thing I was able to catch was this:
View attachment 270410
Regarding the stingers, I am sure it left something sharp in my finger through my work glove. No reactions or anything, thank goodness.

Interesting your having a similar problem. About how big is it?

The two times I have been stung, I'm pretty sure I felt the stingers still in my skin. I couldnt get a look cuz one was behind my ear and then other was on the corner of my eyebrow. so that plus fat bodied I assumed they were bees. plus they seemed faster flying than wasps.

Maybe I need to get some sort of mask and a net and see if I can catch one to take a pic. that would give me a better look too. I couldn't make out much since it zooms in and about your face.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I have had what seems like what you are desribing buzz me around my face and head twice. I have not been stung by them. I did swat at them with my hands and they seemed like they didn't want to just go away.